


make this broken promise whole again

by drfitzmonster



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Content, Trauma, Trauma Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-10-14 00:03:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10524711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drfitzmonster/pseuds/drfitzmonster
Summary: Kara calls Cat one night, distraught, after her boyfriend hits her. Cat helps Kara escape from her abusive relationship, but not before her boyfriend comes looking for them.----------------I have added a second chapter. The sexual content (which is f/f and consensual) occurs in this chapter only.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Recent episodes of the show have triggered a lot of trauma stuff for me, and I wrote this as a way to try to deal with that. It was very difficult to write. I've spent a lot of time crying over it. Please, please don't read this if you think it will trigger or upset you.
> 
> I do not refer to the abusive character by name and I did not tag him, partly because I just could not bear to do it, but mostly because it's not really about him. He is the Abuser with 1000 Faces. He could be anyone. He is any number of people in my life or yours.
> 
> But, like I said, this story is not about him. It is about Kara, and her escape and the beginning of her journey to healing.

“He hit me, Cat!” Kara wailed into the phone, shaking with each cry that ripped out of her throat. She didn’t even remember dialing her number.

All she could remember was the shock, the utter disbelief she felt when he hit her, his closed fist connecting with her cheekbone. And then the pain. She wasn't used to the pain. That was almost as shocking as the fact that he hit her in the first place.

Kara was still sobbing, unable to form intelligible words, she was so worked up she was starting to hyperventilate.

“Kara...” Cat quickly pulled herself out of a deep sleep, speaking as softly and calmly as possible, “I need you to take some deep breaths. Can you breathe with me for just a minute?”

She inhaled sharply and replied with a stuttering, “Y-yes.”

“Ok. Take a slow breath in with me… There you go. Now out… Ok, keep going…”

Kara began to slow her breathing, listening to Cat’s soothing voice.

When Cat felt she'd properly calmed, she spoke again. “Kara are you in a safe place right now?”

She sniffled. “Yeah.”

“Ok, that's good. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I, um…” she started sobbing again, taking harsh, shallow breaths.

“Breathe, Kara. Slow, deep breaths…”

Kara tried to breathe but her face was throbbing and all she could think about was the sound it made when he hit her. It was dull, almost muffled, not at all like anything she was used to, and she’d been punched in the face _many_ times before. Just never like this.

How? How had she let this happen to herself? She was _Supergirl_ , the most powerful woman on Earth. Allegedly. And now she’d let him break her face.

She should have known. How could she be so stupid? To take him back, after everything he’d done. He lied to her, tried to manipulate and control her, made her feel like everything was her fault. He made her feel so very small.

When she broke up with him she thought it was for good, but all he had to do was cry and say he would “do better,” and she folded. How could she be so weak?

“Kara, can you hear me? You need to try and calm down.” Cat was using every ounce of her resolve to keep herself together. “Where are you?”

“I’m on top of CatCo.”

“Ok. You stay right there. I’m coming to get you.” Cat took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Don’t move. I’ll be right there.”

 

* * *

 

Twenty minutes later Cat rushed through the opening doors of the maintenance elevator and onto the roof of her building. She found Kara in civilian clothes, holding a bottle of liquor, sitting on the ledge of the rooftop with her legs dangling over.

“Kara…” she called out cautiously as she approached her from behind.

She just sat there, weeping quietly, clutching the bottle to her chest.

Cat breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally close enough to the girl to touch her. She put her hand on her arm gently.

“Come on,” she said softly. “Let’s get off this ledge, ok?”

Kara nodded, turning her body and then wrapping her arms around Cat’s shoulders, falling into her as Cat attempted to pull her into a standing position.

When she finally saw Kara’s injury, she could barely keep herself from gasping. Her beautiful face was swollen, and a dark purple bruise bloomed from the apple of her cheek. How was that even possible?

“Ok, easy there. Get your legs underneath you… There we go, good girl.” She took the liquor away from Kara, peering into the mouth of the bottle. “I thought you couldn’t get drunk…” She started walking back toward the elevator, pulling Kara with her, supporting her slightly off-kilter body as best she could.

“Alien liquor.” She wiped her face on her sleeve. “Poisonous to humans.”

“Well, that would explain it.” She stopped and eyed Kara suspiciously. “Did you fly here without your suit?”

Kara cleared her throat nervously. “Yes? And I… I, um, may have broken into the alien bar to get the alcohol.”

“Oh, sweetie…” Cat closed her eyes for a moment, clearing her throat to hide a sob. “I’m going to take you home—”

Kara stiffened and lurched backwards, falling. “No no no!” she cried, shaking her head. “He’ll find me there.” She began to scramble backwards. “Don’t make me go home, please.”

“Ok, ok…” Cat walked toward her, hands up in supplication. “I’ll take you to my apartment. How about that? You don’t have to go home.”

Kara looked up and nodded sheepishly. “Ok.”

Cat pulled Kara off the ground with a groan, and escorted her down to an awaiting car. Her driver took them back to her penthouse and before long Kara was sitting on Cat’s couch wrapped in a blanket waiting for Cat to bring her a cup of tea.

She came back into the room with a mug and an ice pack, which she handed to Kara before sitting down next to her. Kara picked up the ice and pressed it to her cheek, wincing and sucking air through her teeth when it made contact.

“It’ll heal as soon as I can get into the sun. I promise,” she said gently, seeing Cat’s look of concern. She picked up her mug of tea in her other hand.

“I guess I don’t have to warn you it’s hot… or do I? Have you blown out your powers? Is that why the…” she gestured vaguely at the injured side of Kara’s face.

“No.” She sighed, taking a sip of her tea. “I flew to CatCo. I still have my powers. I’m just really weak and exhausted right now, and the sun is down, and… um, he’s an alien, so he’s,” she started to cry, “really, um, strong…”

Cat pulled Kara to her, hugging her tightly while she sobbed into her neck. “It’s ok,” she cooed, rubbing her back gently. “Cry all you need. I’m right here with you. You’re safe now.”

Kara cried quietly for a while, clutching at Cat, and then, all of a sudden, she jerked back and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

Cat watched it vibrate in her hand as a flurry of texts came through. Kara looked absolutely horrified.

“He won’t stop.”

“Give it to me.” Cat held her hand out, and Kara gladly handed it over.

She began to read through the texts, scrolling backwards to the earlier ones:

2:02 - baby i’m so sorry. i didn’t mean to. please let me explain

2:03 - i never meant to hurt you but you know how you get under my skin

2:04 - i’ll never do it again i promise. will you just please talk to me???

2:04 - come on, baby. you know i’ve been under a lot of stress lately

2:05 - and you’re always busy

2:05 - always working

2:05 - please talk to me kara. i love you

2:07 - ARE YOU THERE KARA???????

2:07 - I KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE ON YOU

2:09 - WHERE ARE YOU??? I’M AT YOUR APARTMENT

2:13 - YOU CAN’T JUST RUN AWAY FROM ME

2:17 - TALK TO ME KARA

2:17 - STOP ACTING LIKE SUCH A CHILD

2:18 - YOU’RE WITH THAT BITCH CEO AREN’T YOU????

2:18 - YOU NEVER HAVE ANY TIME FOR ME

2:18 - BUT YOU DROP EVERYTHING FOR HER

2:19 - SHE JUST WANTS TO POISON YOU AGAINST ME

2:19 - SO SHE CAN HAVE YOU ALL TO HERSELF

2:21 - YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM ME I KNOW YOU’RE WITH HER

2:21 - SHE CAN’T KEEP US APART

2:22 - SHE WON’T!!!!!!!!

2:22 - I’M GOING TO FIND YOU AND YOU WILL TALK TO ME

Cat shivered at the last one. He sent that was just a minute ago. “I think we need to call your sister.”

“No, Cat, please. She can’t know. I’m too ashamed to tell her.”

“Kara, he knows you’re with me.”

“Oh Rao, oh no.” She started crying. “I’m so sorry, Cat. I am so so sorry. I never meant to put you in this position. I should leave.” She started to move but Cat stopped her with a gentle hand on her chest.

“You’re not going anywhere. I’m calling your sister, _now_. I won’t let him hurt you.”

“But, Cat—”

She held up her finger as she found Alex in Kara’s contacts. She pressed the phone to her ear and waited for her to pick up.

“Kara, what is it? It’s 2:30 in the morning,” Alex groaned, voice thick with sleep.

“Agent Danvers, this is Cat Grant. We have a bit of a problem…”

“What happened? Is Kara ok? Tell me what’s going on.” Alex was wide awake now, seized with panic.

“Kara is ok, for now. She’s with me at my apartment, but we are not safe. Her boyfriend did a number on her face and now he’s looking for her. He knows she’s with me. I don’t think he knows where I live, but I can’t imagine it will take him long to find us.”

“I’m on my way. Stay where you are. And find something, _anything_ , with lead it in. It’s like Kryptonite to him.” Alex was already out of bed and half-dressed. She bent down and grabbed some clothes off the floor, throwing them at Maggie, who was still asleep.

“Alex what the hell?” she asked groggily.

“Get dressed. We need to get to Cat’s penthouse, _right now_.”

 

* * *

 

Lead, lead, lead... shit. What did she have with lead in it? Oh! Candlestick! She rifled through her China cabinet to find it, silently thanking her grandmother for leaving it to her in her will. She grabbed it by its base and pulled it out of the drawer, brandishing it like a weapon experimentally.

She came back into the living room, proud of herself for her quick thinking. “Kara, we lucked out and—”

And then she saw him. He was standing there, expression flat but eyes feral. She looked back at Kara, who was cowering on her couch. She quickly put herself between him and the girl.

“You need to leave. NOW.” Cat was shaking, holding her three-pronged candlestick in front of her.

He ignored her, taking a step toward Kara, who had curled herself into a ball, hands over her ears. “Baby, come on, be reasonable.  I just want to talk…”

“NO. She doesn't want to talk to you.” She moved closer to him, waving the candlestick, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. She was completely terrified, but she was not about to let him touch Kara again.

He backed off just a bit, seeming genuinely concerned about the impromptu lead weapon Cat was wielding. And then all of a sudden Cat was knocked to the ground, the candlestick clattering as it slid across the floor. She lifted her head, moaning and reaching out.

“Kara…” she called out weakly.

“Come on, let’s go home.” He pulled Kara off the couch by her upper arm.

She didn't try to fight him, she just lowered her head and let him drag her across the room. It was the only way to keep Cat safe. If she just left with him he would leave Cat alone.

 

* * *

 

Alex‘s heart was pounding, she was white-knuckling the handlebars of her Ducati, going as fast as she possibly could and still take turns without spinning out. Icy fear gripped her heart, and the only thing keeping her grounded enough to get them there in one piece was the press of Maggie’s body against her back and her arms wrapped snug around her waist.

She'd called for backup already, as she and Maggie were racing down the stairs to get to her bike, saying only, “He’s gone off the rails. Cat Grant’s apartment. NOW.”

They all knew who she meant.

When the two of them finally, _finally_ arrived at Cat’s building everything happened so quickly. They sprinted to the security desk, Alex brandishing an FBI badge and a gun, yelling at the startled doorman about an emergency in Cat Grant’s apartment. He directed them to Cat’s private elevator, and it wasn’t until they were both inside, rushing towards to top floor, that Alex let out a breath.

“Calm down, Al. We’re almost there. Just be ready.”

Alex nodded, taking a few deep breaths. She holstered her standard-issue weapon in favor of the “borrowed” alien tech that shot a percussive energy blast capable of incapacitating human and alien alike. She pulled another energy gun— by stroke of luck seized from a crime scene less than a week ago— from behind her back and handed it to Maggie, who nodded solemnly.

When the doors dinged open they charged down the hall to Cat’s door. They burst through, guns drawn, to find him pulling Kara toward the balcony. Neither hesitated a moment before shooting, and the double energy pulse knocked him ten feet backwards into a wall. He hit hard, cracking the brick, before slumping down to the floor, unconscious.

As soon as Kara was free of him she ran to Cat, dropping to her knees beside her. “Are you ok?” She was near frantic, scooping Cat up in her arms and bringing her to the couch. “Oh, Rao, what have I done?”

Cat groaned. “I’m fine, I swear. I’m tougher than I look.” She reached up and brushed the hair out of Kara’s face.

“I’m so sorry. Oh, Cat, I am just so sorry. I never should have gotten you into this mess. I—”

“Stop.” She sat up in Kara’s arms, leaning forward and placing a soft, chaste kiss against her lips. She pressed their foreheads together. “I’m glad you called me.”

Alex— who’d been watching in shock as Cat Grant _kissed_ her little sister— opened her mouth, about to intervene, but Maggie gave a warning tug on her shoulder.

“Uh-uh. They’re fine. They’re safe now. Everything is ok. Let’s just take this piece of shit downstairs and wait for the DEO bus.”

“But—”

“But nothing, honey. I know you want to go to her, but you need to give them some space. There’s a reason she called Cat and not you... You can talk to her tomorrow.” Maggie gave her a stern look that softened as soon as she saw the pain on Alex’s face.

“Fine,” she muttered, clearly not satisfied. She sniffed back a few tears that were threatening to fall.

“I know it hurts, baby, but Cat will take good care of her. They’ll take good care of each other.” She reached down to find Alex’s hand and gave it a firm squeeze.

Alex watched with a sigh as Cat and her sister leaned into each other, whispering softly, every once in a while one daring to touch the other gently: the back of a hand brushing along a cheek, fingers running through hair, a thumb swiping quickly under an eye to wipe away a tear.

Maggie was right. Whatever was passing between Cat and her sister should not be disturbed. So she didn't, and instead focused on removing him from Cat’s apartment.

They ultimately decided to just drag him by his legs, and as they pulled him out the door Maggie called over her shoulder, “Ladies, we’re just going to take out the trash. Let us know if you need anything.”

Alex stopped, looking back at Kara. “Call me tomorrow?” she asked plaintively.

Kara set Cat gently on the couch and then sped over to her sister. She wrapped her in a crushing hug. “Thank you,” she whispered, tears spilling from her eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Kara locked the door once they were out in the hallway. She shivered, watching through the peephole until she could see the doors to the elevator closing with the three of them on the other side. She sank to the floor and began to sob heavily.

Cat stood from the couch and walked over to Kara, still a little shaky from being thrown across the room. She silently slid down next to her, holding her arms open to the girl, who moved into them and wept into her shoulder.

“It's ok,” Cat said softly, stroking her hair. “He’s gone.” She was crying herself, still coming down from the adrenaline rush of facing off against an angry alien who was trying to take Kara away.

But everything was ok. Kara was here, real and solid, in her arms. Whatever barriers existed between them before— concerns about attraction or age difference or propriety or practicality— had fallen away. They were together now, in this moment, and that was all that mattered.

One thought plagued Cat, though: why?

She pulled back from Kara, hooking a finger under her chin gently and tilting her face up. “Why, Kara?” She brushed the hair out of her face gently. “Why were you just going to go with him?”

She cast her gaze downward. “I didn't want him to hurt you.”

Cat burst into tears. Her brave, sweet Kara, protecting her until the very end. “Oh, my darling.” She gathered her back into her arms, squeezing her as tight as she could. “He can’t hurt either of us anymore. Your sister will see to that.” She kissed the top of Kara’s head. “I’m sure he will be inside a cell for a very long time.”

“She’d send him to the Phantom Zone if she could…”

“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds like a good place for him.”

Kara shuddered at her own memories of her time there. She hugged Cat tighter, her body, however small, giving her an anchor, helping her fight back against them.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just… very tired.”

Cat stood and reached down her hand to Kara. “Come on. You can use my bed. I’ve probably got some things that will fit you... I can sleep in the guest room. Does that sound ok?”

Kara just nodded silently, taking Cat’s hand and standing slowly. Cat led her to her bedroom and gathered some nightclothes and a towel for her.

“Why don’t you take a hot shower, and if you need me I’ll be just down the hall.” Cat gave her a hug and turned to leave, but Kara caught her hand.

“Stay,” she pleaded, barely a whisper. “I don’t think I can be alone tonight.”

“Of course.” Cat hugged her gently. “I’ll stay right here. I won’t go anywhere.” She kissed her forehead. “I’m just going to go use the guest shower, ok?”

Kara nodded, smiling weakly.

“There’s an extra toothbrush in the drawer in there.” She gestured toward her master bathroom. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

By the time Cat came back into her bedroom Kara was already sitting on the bed, freshly showered, wearing a Wellesly t-shirt and sweatpants that were clearly too small for her. She stared at the floor, wringing her hands nervously.

Cat approached her slowly. “Are you ready to go to sleep?” she asked, reaching down to cup the uninjured side of her face.

“Yes.” Kara shut her eyes, pushing out the tears that had been threatening to fall.

“Lie back, love.” Cat guided her down, situating a pillow beneath her head. She pulled the blankets over Kara, tucking them around her shoulders. “Is that ok?”

She nodded.

Cat turned the light off and slid under the covers on the other side of the bed. She breathed heavily into the darkness. Everything was ok. Kara was safe. Kara was here, close enough to reach out and touch. She ventured a hand into the darkness, fingers finding a warm hand that quickly latched onto her own.

“I’m so sorry I left. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” she whispered, knowing that no matter how softly she said it, Kara would hear her.

She rolled over toward Cat, curling into her, letting the smaller woman enfold her. She sobbed, heavy, body-racking convulsions that came in waves. She made no sound, just heaved and clutched at Cat’s shirt, burying her face into Cat’s neck.

She felt safe for the first time in a very long time, safe enough to let out everything she’d been holding in for all these months: all the sorrow, the anger, the shame and embarrassment, the fear, the dread, the sick feeling that had lived in her stomach for so long. All of it.

“I’m here now, Kara. I’ve got you,” Cat said, biting back tears. “And I am _never_ letting go.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First I would just like to apologize for not responding to all of your lovely and supportive comments. This story has been very difficult for me to write, and I was honestly just very overwhelmed and had no idea how to respond. Please know that they each mean so much to me.
> 
> When I started writing this chapter I wasn’t sure at all what it was going to be. All I knew was that I still felt stuck in my own trauma after completing the first chapter, and I needed to try and write myself out of it. So I started working on this chapter. The whole process has involved a lot of sobbing and self-doubt. Things came out while I was writing that were completely unexpected for me, and while I agonized over what was appropriate to include, I decided I needed to go with what felt right to me.
> 
> Ultimately, this chapter is about Kara coming back into herself, reclaiming her own body and her own desires, taking back control of her own life, starting with her physical self. So often in abusive situations when we are not in control of our environment or what happens to our own bodies, we cope by retreating, deadening ourselves, disappearing from our own bodies. After escaping an abuser, it can take a long time to remember what it’s like to be alive, to allow ourselves to experience things fully, including things that bring us pleasure.
> 
> With that in mind, **please be aware that this chapter has sexual content in it.** If you are uncomfortable with that in the context of this narrative or just in general, you probably shouldn’t read this. The last thing I want is for this story, which is supposed to be about healing and recovery, to trigger or upset someone.

It had been months since Kara left him, and she was still having nightmares frequently. She’d wake with a start and sobbingly reach for Cat, who would pull her into a tight embrace, holding her and whispering gently to her as she cried herself back to sleep.

Some nights Kara talked about her dreams, recounting them through sobs as she clutched at Cat’s pajamas. Most of the time she just wept quietly. But on _really_ bad nights she woke in a panic, hyperventilating and crying frantically. On those nights— and tonight was one of them— the only thing that calmed her down was a call to her sister.

Cat grabbed her phone and dialed Alex— now in Cat’s list of favorite contacts— listening to the trill of the phone ringing as she rubbed Kara’s back.

Alex picked up. “Another bad one?”

“Yeah,” Cat said lowly, stifling a yawn.

“That’s the second time this week.”

“I know…” Cat said sadly, handing the phone to Kara.

She was still struggling to catch her breath. “A-Alex?”

“Deep breaths, Kara. I’m right here.”

“Is-is he still…”

Alex looked down at her tablet, at the live video feed from the camera in his cell. “He’s still there. I’m looking at him right now.”

After hearing that, Kara could relax, and she was finally able to get her breathing under control.

“Does he… does he look sad?”

Alex sighed. “He looks like a piece of garbage who terrorized you and who doesn’t deserve a single shred of your compassion. Do you need me to show you the picture of your face again?”

“No, no please don’t. I just...” she choked back a sob, “Why can’t I stop thinking about him? I am terrified that he’s somehow going to escape and come hurt me, or even worse, hurt Cat.” She started to cry, reaching out for Cat, who scooted closer to her in the bed, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. “I want to hate him… I do, I do hate him... for making me so afraid, but… I can’t stop thinking about how lonely he must be— oh Rao why am I so weak?”

“Listen to me. You are not weak. You are the strongest person I know. You loved him. You can’t just turn that off. And besides, he manipulated you into putting his feelings, his needs and wants before your own. It’s hard to break out of that way of thinking. Give yourself time, Kar. It'll get easier.”

Kara nodded feebly. “Ok.”

“Do you want to talk about your dream?”

“No...”

“Do you think you’ll be able to get back to sleep if you don’t?” Alex knew she needed to get it out, or it would plague her for days.

“No…” Kara let out a stuttering sob, trying to keep herself composed enough to speak. “He was hurting her.” As she spoke she stared into middle distance, looking at nothing, seemingly transported into her nightmare.

“He was hurting Cat, and I came to save her. He was choking her. I tried to stop him, and then I looked down, and it was _me_. I was the one hurting her. Oh, Rao…” She looked down at her hands. “It was me.”

“Kara, hey, it’s ok. Cat is fine, it’s—”

“Am I like him? Do I hurt people, Alex? I don’t want to be like him. Please, tell me I’m not. I don’t want to be a monster…” Kara sobbed, heavily and harshly. She was overwhelmed and confused and scared, and it was all her body would allow her do at that moment.

It took every scrap of Alex’s resolve not to cry when she thought of what that trash did to make her little sister think she could be anything but good, anything but heroic in the truest sense of the word. Oh, how she wanted to make him suffer for what he’d done.

“Kara Danvers, you are not a monster. You are the furthest thing from that. You are the kindest, most selfless and generous person I have ever met.”

“But I’ve hurt people… I’ve hurt _you_.”

“People make mistakes, Kara. But you’ve learned from yours, and it’s made you a better person. That’s the most anyone can do. Even a superhero.”

All Kara could think about was all the people throughout her life who she’d ever harmed in any way. The weight of her regret for the things she’d done felt like it would crush her. She could hold up the entire sky like Atlas, but her sorrow and remorse was just too much.

She thought of her sister, whose life had been disrupted, thrown entirely off course by her arrival. How much different would things be if she hadn’t crash landed directly into the Danvers family?

And she thought of Cat, who’d dropped everything to come to her rescue and who’d been caring for her ever since, whose life had not only been endangered, but had basically ground to halt, all because of Kara. It was all her fault.

She let out an almost inhuman cry of pain, something that came from deep within her, spurred by her anguish and fear, something that had been long bottled up.

She was shaking, phone held so tightly in her hand she was about to break it.

Cat gently removed the phone from Kara’s grip. “Ok, Alex, I think we’re going to say goodbye now.”

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best. Goodnight, Cat.”

“Night, Alex.” Cat ended the call and set the phone on the nightstand. She wrapped her arms around a still-crying Kara, rocking her gently back and forth.

Kara hid her face in Cat’s shirt. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Cat stroked Kara’s hair gently. “Why are you sorry? What could you possibly have to be sorry for?”

She lifted her head to look at Cat, her eyes red and glassy in the soft lamplight. “For being so selfish. I put you in danger, Cat. You could have been _killed_ because of me. And now... I’ve disrupted your life for so long. I’m too scared to go back to my apartment. I wake you up with nightmares almost every night.” She looked away, shame and embarrassment tinging her cheeks red. “I need you so much, Cat. I can’t even go to sleep at night if you’re not holding me. It’s not normal.”

Cat tilted Kara’s chin up gently. “I don’t care about _normal_. I care about you.” She cupped the side of Kara’s face, rubbing her thumb along her cheekbone. “Kara I…” She stopped herself, sighing. “I don’t think now is a good time to have this conversation.”

Kara grabbed Cat’s wrist, keeping her from pulling her hand away from her cheek. “No, please. Tell me.”

Cat closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Kara, I’ve been in love with you for a long time.” She took another breath, eyes still tightly shut. “I’ve been a coward, and it took the thought of losing you forever for me to finally face up to my feelings. But that doesn’t matter right now. You’ve been through so much. You’re vulnerable, and trying to heal, and you don’t need me pouring out my heart to you like a lovesick teenager.” She finally opened her eyes, a few tears slipping out.

“No.” Kara took Cat’s face in her hands gently, kissing the tears from her cheeks. “You’re wrong,” she said softly. “I _do_ need you pouring out your heart. I need your love. _That_ is what’s healing me… And-and besides... I love you, too.”

Cat pulled back, taking her gently by the shoulders, trying to put some distance between them so she could clear her thoughts. “Kara… you’ve just become attached to me because I’ve been here for you. It’s really common for—”

“No. You don’t get to say that. I know how I feel. And I’ve been in love with you since way before… _him_.” She turned away, hiding her face from Cat. “But you left. Everyone left, and I was all alone. Except…” she started crying, her voice becoming thick, “he was there. He wanted me, and I didn’t know how to say no. There was no one else.”

Cat tried and failed to bite back a sob. “Oh, Kara,” she said, through tears, as she pulled her into an embrace, meeting only the briefest resistance before Kara turned and moved into her. “I am so, so sorry I left you. That I abandoned you when you needed me most.”

Kara pushed her forehead against Cat’s, breathing into the space between them. “Now is when I need you most. And you’re right here. You said you’d never let me go, and I believe you.”

Kara moved forward slowly, closing the distance between them, meeting Cat in a gentle kiss. Cat let herself melt into Kara for just a moment, mesmerized by the press of her lips, warm and searching, before pulling back.

“Kara, I don’t think—”

“Please, Cat,” she rasped, voice tinged with desperation, “show me how you love me.”

Cat hesitated, but when she saw the pain in Kara’s eyes, she knew she could not say no. She would love Kara the way she needed to be loved. There was no question. So Cat kissed her, softly, reverently, running her tongue along the seam of Kara’s lips, requesting entrance, which Kara gladly gave.

Cat’s slow, probing kisses lit a spark inside Kara. Something hot and tingling began to pool low in her belly, something that felt a whole lot like desire. Kara felt more present in her own body than she had in a very long time. It was scary, but it also felt exceptionally freeing.

Kara couldn’t remember the last time she actually wanted to be in her body. When she was with him she just wanted to be somewhere else, so she would go there in her mind. Sometimes it was Krypton, to her childhood home in Argo City, sometimes it was Midvale, to the room she shared with her sister, where they would lay in bed and talk late into the night, but most often, it was to Cat’s office balcony, a place she felt safe and at peace.

But now, there was no other place she wanted to be. She wanted to be _here_ , with Cat, touching her, feeling her. She couldn’t feel enough. It was like she was trying to stoke a fire back to life, one that had burned down to the smallest embers.

“Touch me,” Kara begged, “please… I need you.”

“Are… are you sure?” Cat asked softly, brushing a lock of hair behind Kara’s ear.

She nodded sheepishly, blushing, and guided Cat’s hands to the first button of her pajama top.

Cat began to slowly unbutton Kara’s shirt, watching her face closely as she went. She hesitated after the third button, holding Kara’s shirt closed with a palm pressed to her chest. “Kara…”

Kara covered Cat’s hand with her own. “Cat, I want this. I want _you_. But… do you want me?”

“Yes, of course I do, Kara.” Cat leaned forward and kissed her, more firmly than before. She released the last two buttons of Kara’s shirt and slipped it off her shoulders. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Kara bare before her. “You’re beautiful,” Cat whispered, awestruck, as she traced the tips of her fingers along Kara’s collarbones.

She drew her fingers slowly down Kara’s chest, hesitating at the tops of her breasts. “Is this ok?”

Kara just nodded, her breath caught in her throat.

Cat cupped Kara’s cheek with one hand, using the other to gently caress Kara’s breasts. When she took a nipple between her thumb and forefinger Kara gasped, back arching, eyes snapping shut. Cat was astounded by how responsive she was. Every touch brought a whimper, and they increased in volume as she moved her hands down Kara’s body, so slowly, so gently.

Cat hadn’t known how much Kara needed this, but it was so obvious now. She was desperate to lose herself in loving touch, to open herself up for someone she trusted, to allow herself to be swallowed up by desire. And Cat would give these things to her, she would give them to her a thousand times over, would give her anything and everything she asked for.

Cat gently removed Kara's pajama pants and laid her back, making sure she was comfortable. She then devoted herself fully to Kara's pleasure, teasing out stuttering moans, tracing the lines of her muscles, finding the places on her body that elicited the biggest reactions. When she had worked Kara up until she was practically buzzing, Cat pressed her fingers over her sex, stroking her cheek gently with her other hand.

“You’re perfect,” Cat whispered, kissing her gently, running her fingers through the soft blonde curls of Kara’s pubic thatch.  “Just look at you.”

“Please, Cat,” Kara entreated. Her body felt raw and electric, like Cat was slowly breathing life back into her.

“Of course, my love.” Cat dipped into her folds, lightly, cautiously, careful but still exploratory.

Kara whimpered at the contact but she wanted more. She needed more. She could still feel the darkness creeping in at the edges of her consciousness. She was so close to being totally present, to finally escaping her head for the first time in a very long time, but she needed _more_.

“Please, Cat. I need you… inside me.”

And the look she gave Cat just about broke her heart. Of course she would. She couldn’t say no when Kara’s eyes were pleading and brimming with tears. When she could see the desperation, the desire, the hope written all over her face.

So she plunged in, slowly, but firmly, and swallowed Kara’s gasp with an all-consuming kiss. Cat started a gentle rhythm, thrusting in quickly and hooking her fingers as she dragged them out. “Look at me, Kara,” she said softly as Kara’s head began to tip back. “Stay here, with me.”

Kara nodded. Cat knew exactly what she needed, knew exactly what to say, exactly how to touch her to keep here there, in the moment. And as she stared into Cat’s eyes, everything else vanished. There was only Cat inside her, and Cat’s scent, her weight as their bodies pressed together. There was only the feeling of electricity in Kara’s skin, the waves of pleasure radiating through her body, one that she was finally fully inhabiting.

When Kara came it was with a sob and a convulsion that racked her whole body, leaving her back arched and her body taut as a bow string before it released and she fell limply back into the bed. She cried her way through the aftershocks, completely and utterly overwhelmed by the flood of chemicals her body had just released, by the intense emotions she was feeling.

“Kara, what’s wrong? Was it too much? Kara tell me…”

Kara just shook her head, eyes closed, clutching at Cat. “No. It was perfect. It was just… wow...” Kara groaned and began to stretch her limbs out, like she’d been asleep for a long time and she was trying to work the kinks out of muscles too long dormant. She breathed in as deeply as she could, then released the air from her lungs with a burst of frost.

“Oh!” Cat startled. “I forgot you could do that.”

Kara winced. “Sorry. I just felt the urge...”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she said, stroking the side of Kara’s face gently. “Everything is fine as long as you’re ok.” Cat kissed her forehead and then pulled back to look her in the eye. “Are you… ok?”

Kara put her hand between Cat’s shoulder blades, applying the barest, gentlest pressure, and Cat got the hint, lowering herself fully onto Kara, nuzzling her face against Kara’s neck.

“I don’t know if I’m ok. I don’t know if I even know what that is anymore.” Kara picked Cat’s hand up, bringing it to her mouth so she could kiss her fingertips. “But right now I feel... _good_.”

Cat laughed, drumming her fingers lightly on Kara’s lips. “I feel good too.” She shifted onto her side and sighed contentedly as she began to trace idle patterns on Kara’s chest.

They lay like that, slotted together, relishing their newfound closeness, until the first rays of dawn crept through the windows. As soon as the sunlight hit Kara’s skin she could feel herself being invigorated and fortified. She slipped out of Cat’s arms and hopped out of bed.

Cat only stirred when she heard Kara banging around the bedroom. “What’s wrong, darling?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said with a bright smile on her face. “I think I’m going to go fly around for a while.” She hadn’t felt the need to fly, just for herself, just for fun, in what felt like years. But the sky was calling to her now. She quick-changed into her supersuit and looked down at Cat lovingly.

Cat couldn’t help but mirror Kara’s beaming smile. She was so happy to see the life coming back into Kara’s eyes, to see the crinkle between her eyebrows finally smooth and dissipate.

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours, ok?” She said, bending down to steal a kiss.

“Of course. Take all the time you need, and when you come back I’ll have pancakes and bacon waiting for you.” Cat reached up to tuck a lock of her precious alien’s hair behind her ear.

“Eggs, too?”

“How many?”

“Better make it a dozen. I have a feeling I’m going to be _really_ hungry when I get back.” Kara gave Cat one final, lingering kiss before she crossed the room to the balcony. She opened the sliding door and turned back long enough to say, “I love you, Cat,” and then she shot off into the sky.

“I love you too, Supergirl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out whether I should post this second chapter at all, especially since the abusive character has left the show (at least temporarily), but I decided that I needed to do it, for myself, for the sake of catharsis and completing something so I can try to move on from it.
> 
> Also, my intention was not to imply that there is an easy fix to the sort of trauma that Kara (and Cat, as well) has suffered, that Kara can have one orgasm, and then fly off into the sunset and everything is totally fine after that. That is not how trauma recovery works. This is one small step, one bit of progress towards healing. It is a beginning more than anything. I just needed this chapter to end on a hopeful note, mostly to remind myself there is light at the end of the tunnel.
> 
> I hope that this was meaningful to someone in some way. Please know that even though I was unable to respond to most of the comments on the first chapter, I will try my best to respond to any anyone leaves on this one.
> 
> Also, I have an idea for a third chapter, but am not sure if/when I will get to it.

**Author's Note:**

> If you think you or someone you know might be in an abusive relationship you can find more information at the National Domestic Violence Hotline's page [Is This Abuse?](http://www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/). You can also call the hotline at 1-800-799-7233 | 1-800-787-3224 (TTY), or chat with them online at [thehotline.org](http://www.thehotline.org).


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